This invention relates to a dispenser for wick used for absorbing molten solder.
It is fairly common in the electronics industry to remove solder from a printed circuit board. This may be needed, for example, when a component has been removed and is to be replaced by a different component. For many years, solder has been removed by placing a copper wick on the solder and touching it with a hot soldering iron. Such wicks are typically a braid of copper wire having open space for receiving solder. More recently, desoldering wicks have been made of what amounts to woven screen wire folded in multiple layers, leaving space within the mesh and between layers of the mesh for receiving molten solder. Typically, the desoldering wick has a thin layer of flux so that when the solder melts, it is drawn into the wick by capillary action.
Short lengths (e.g. 1.5 m.) of desoldering wick are available in disk-like plastic packages containing a flat spiral of desoldering wick. A typical package has a dish-shaped half with a hollow central hub (somewhat like an angel food cake pan) A flat xe2x80x9ccoverxe2x80x9d is secured to the hub and fits closely near the outer edge of the container. An end of the desoldering wick is pulled through the narrow gap around the edge of the cover. The desoldering wick is unwound from the outside of the two dimensional spiral of wick that surrounds the hub. The user typically holds the dispenser with a short length of protruding wick which is touched against the solder to be removed. Such a dispenser is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,886.
It is desirable to provide a dispenser for desoldering wick which is easily handled and can contain larger lengths of desoldering wick. Furthermore, it is desirable for the dispenser to have an elongated guide for the desoldering wick to permit it to reach into tight spaces for removing solder.
There is, therefore, provided in practice of this invention according to a presently preferred embodiment, a desoldering wick dispenser having a housing with a coil of desoldering wick in the housing. An end portion of the wick extends through a tube for manipulating the wick during use. In one embodiment a conventional package contains the coil of desoldering wick. In another embodiment, there is a central aperture in the end of the housing and the tube containing an end portion of the wick extends away from the aperture.
Preferably, the housing is funnel shaped with the tube extending from the center of the funnel. The coil of wick is in the form of a conical spiral and the end of the wick extending through the tube is drawn from adjacent the center of the coil. If desired, the tube may be formed of a helical coil of wire.